Page 39 of The San Marco Heist

“Thought you might be a little lonely?” He held up two bottles of Stella Artois in one hand, earning him the title of my new best friend.

Another of Scarlett’s rules: no alcohol.

“I don’t suppose they’re twist-off?”

He shook his head. “There should be a bottle opener in your kitchenette.”

“Aren’t you risking some level of wrath by coming here? Both after curfew and with alcohol?”

“Scar, Rav, and Jayce travel together on almost every job. They only bring me along for special events.” He put the bottles down on the tiny kitchenette counter and rooted around in the drawer. “Kinda makes me warm and fuzzy having you around, so I figured I’d embrace the moment.”

“Special events?”

He waggled his fingers before pulling a bottle opener from the drawer. “Anytime they need the magic fingers.” He handed me the first open bottle. “Or the magic brain.”

I took the cushioned chair by the desk and gestured to the couch for him. “What do you do other than open things?”

“Keep things closed.”

“Anyone ever tell you that you’re cryptic?”

“Another one of my specialties.”

I took a swallow from the bottle, appreciating the malty sweetness and hoppy bitterness. “Is this a social call? Are you really flying under the radar, or is this another test?”

He inclined his beer toward me. “You’re a straight shooter. I like that. Don’t see much of it in this business.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“No, it’s not.” He eased down on the couch, pulling one ankle to cross over his other leg. “We don’t usually work with people we have so little information about. Scarlett and Evelyn have good instincts, and Rav didn’t kill you on sight, so I have to assume you’re on the up-and-up.”

Don’t clench your jaw, Malcolm.“I want to bring Emmett home just as much as the rest of you do.”

“Not as much as Scarlett does.”

So much for the warm and fuzzy. “She doesn’t trust me.”

“Her trust is difficult to gain. But if she’s taking you in with her to the Albrecht house tomorrow, that means what you did at the architect’s office impressed her.”

“She has a funny way of showing it.”

He took a swig of his beer and sat back, scrutinizing me.

“She told me I was off the team after that.”

“Scar’s… How can I say this delicately? She’s a hardass, but she needs to be. I can’t remember when she wasn’t like that, and we’ve known each other since grade six.”

She’d told me Brie and Will had been friends since they were little. Now this. Reynolds Recoveries wasn’t just a family business. Was it all familyandfriends? “How long have you been working for them?”

“Evelyn opened the company the day after Scar and I graduated university. I wasn’t involved before that, but I’m certain some of their family vacations”—he made air quotes—“weren’t just vacations.”

I’d already figured out Scarlett’s mother had groomed her for the role from a young age. But had she done the same to Scarlett’s friends? “And you joined right away, too?”

“Founding member. Evelyn encouraged me to study…” He smirked and pointed his bottle at me. “I figured you for a wily one.”

I held my hands up in mock surrender. “I just like to know who I’m working with.”

Hiring on as a contractor with a team usually entailed getting to know roles and responsibilities, not people. Once you got to know the people, your guard was down. You let too much out. Put yourself at risk.

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